Outdoor Work

Here is the Grounds Crew doing some back breaking work to clear away a fallen tree and branches.

The bees were outside the largest hive working on a corner, or was this a new entrance?

Today a resident had pruned and was tying up the grape vines, which I understand are delicious, if you can beat the deer in getting them.

Yesterday I worked outside to clear away some of the brush so I could admire the crocus coming into bloom.

First of the Season

It isn't even Spring yet, but we know it is coming because...

The winter aconites are blooming, at least when the temperature goes up and the sun shines.

The snowdrops are also blooming.

Not a first of the season.  Yesterday I heard a thump on my patio door, and looked out, but I did not see a bird on the ground.  Then I thought, I should look up.  Sure enough, there was the sharp-shinned hawk in the tree.  One of the little birds at my feeder flew the wrong way when frightened by the appearance of the hawk.  Lucky little bird got away, but maybe next time the hawk will be lucky.

Ducks and Geese

This is the wetland on a drizzly day.

There were two geese in the wetland.

I saw eight mallards.

The meadow has been cut.  It is cut once a year in March, to maintain the area as a meadow.

I noticed this foam coming out of the downspout near my apartment.  Does anyone have any idea of what this is?

Not much

Someone asked me yesterday, what was I photographing these days.  The answer "Not much".  There are always a few jobs to be done, but it has been too cold to walk outside, and not much to see out there.

There is always a beautiful flower arrangement in the niche.

Maybe a couple of doves eating seeds on the patio.

The niche gets changes every few days.

A nuthatch on the feeder.

My cat, Misty sleeping on her blanket.

Orchids in the Green house

Someone told me that the orchids in the greenhouse were the best ever.  But when I went to see them, the humid conditions fogged up my glasses and the camera lens.

It took a while before I was able to see all the beauty around me.

This white one cascaded almost to the floor.

Up close their intricacies are fantastic.

A visit to the Greenhouse is worthwhile!

Happy Valentine's Day

This is the Valentine's Day display in the niche.

A Foggy Day

It was a foggy day, warmer with melting snow.

A witch hazel blooms in a courtyard.

Nice to see a light in a window.

These red berries were in the same courtyard.

The dog gets walked even on a foggy day.